Ive been having this problem for a while now... i get the brown algae all over some parts of my sand. I know if i put more water movement it should go away but i just cant seem to have enough? i have 2 power heads, a cpr skimmer/refuge, and a rena filtration system for a 37 gal tank. is this enough? also my refuge seems to get dirty also. How can i keep my tank clean!
how do i keep my sand clean?
- Thread starter K6DimE
- Start date
drummereef
Team RC
Sounds like a diatom issue. I would recommend RO/DI water first. If you are using water with a tds higher than 1 then diatoms are sure to happen, ime. Can you list your current tank params?
ionredline0260
New member
how big is your tank? I just got a bullet/dragon goby and it's doign a great job of cleaning my sand.
well as of right now my tank is completely apart. I had an explosion of red slime all over my tank and now i am cleaning everything. This is the third time i've had to clean my entire tank, and quite honestly im tired of doing it. I need to step up my system and get som janitors or something because it seems as though algae is just going to keep attacking my tank. Hopefully this will be the last time i have to clean it. Any suggestions?
clevername
New member
Thats not a good sign that its developing algea. What conserns me more is you are CLEANING it manually. You understand that taking everything out of the tank water or rock, you are going to have to cycle it again. (For the most part)
Buy a cleanup crew.....
Buy a cleanup crew.....
tk1360
New member
You really shouldn't be tearing you tank apart over and over again. Using RO/DI and regular water changes should be a good start.
I agree with clevername, a cleanup crew is a great idea. Picture something that loves cleaning a tank over and over and never tired of it.
"i've had to clean my entire tank, and quite honestly im tired of doing it" - K6DimE
Toss in some snails (I personally like a mix of astreas and turbos), also some hermit crabs. Sand sifting gobies are nice as well and will keep your substrate looking nice and clean while feeding themselves.
I agree with clevername, a cleanup crew is a great idea. Picture something that loves cleaning a tank over and over and never tired of it.
"i've had to clean my entire tank, and quite honestly im tired of doing it" - K6DimE
Toss in some snails (I personally like a mix of astreas and turbos), also some hermit crabs. Sand sifting gobies are nice as well and will keep your substrate looking nice and clean while feeding themselves.
Reefbox
New member
Get the sand sifting gobies. They love brown sand.
Also make sure you get your calcium & alkalinity within acceptable parameters.
In my early days I fought algae for a long time before I realized my calcium and alkalinity were out of line. Once I got calcium and alkalinity inline the corraline algae took off and all other algae's disappeared.
Also make sure you get your calcium & alkalinity within acceptable parameters.
In my early days I fought algae for a long time before I realized my calcium and alkalinity were out of line. Once I got calcium and alkalinity inline the corraline algae took off and all other algae's disappeared.
Shagsbeard
New member
If you buy water from a vending machine, the operator of the machine is legally obligated to give you an accurate TDS reading on request. There's usually a phone number you can call on the machine.
chrisqueenz
New member
How long have you had this problem for?
papagimp
COMAS Rocks!
I said it before and I'll keep saying it again 
Diatoms and Cyno are both normal phases new tanks go through. The entire first year of any tank is usually bombarded with instability in water parameters and algae control. Nothing to fret so early in the game, but when you remove and clean everything, expect it to happen again and again and again. Need to find the cause that is fueling the algae growth, high nitrates and phosphates for instance, overfeeding. Poor filtrations, whatever the case may be. Fix that issue and these symptoms will clear. Stop tearing the tank apart to clean it and let it settle and mature longer. Take everyone elses advice and get a cleaning crew to handle the cleaning for you. The only "cleaning" I have to do in my entire setup is the occasional scraping of the front glass. About once a month at most.
Diatoms and Cyno are both normal phases new tanks go through. The entire first year of any tank is usually bombarded with instability in water parameters and algae control. Nothing to fret so early in the game, but when you remove and clean everything, expect it to happen again and again and again. Need to find the cause that is fueling the algae growth, high nitrates and phosphates for instance, overfeeding. Poor filtrations, whatever the case may be. Fix that issue and these symptoms will clear. Stop tearing the tank apart to clean it and let it settle and mature longer. Take everyone elses advice and get a cleaning crew to handle the cleaning for you. The only "cleaning" I have to do in my entire setup is the occasional scraping of the front glass. About once a month at most.I agree with Adam, if you are in the first year of so then it is completely normal. How old is the tank, where do you get water from and the TDS if you know, what are your alkalinity and calcium levels. Higher alkalinity can slow the growth of many nusience algaes. Having adequite calcium can encourage the growth of coraline and other higher algaes that will compete for nutrients to some extent.
I also agree with Adam. I didn't have your problems until my tank was 3 years old plus. High nitrates and phosphates are my major problems now. I got a phos reactor & used ROWAphos to bring done the phosphates. Only problem is that I got tired of replacing the media & the problem came back. It seemed to keep it in check
What has worked now (1 month) is a very powerful pump with WIDE FLOW that keeps all the particles suspended in the water so that it gets sucked into my sump where my skimmer can take care of it. My skimmer has been working overtime since I got the bigger pump.
The flow is pointed almost at the middle (height) of the tank across all of my rocks. It has made a big difference.
What has worked now (1 month) is a very powerful pump with WIDE FLOW that keeps all the particles suspended in the water so that it gets sucked into my sump where my skimmer can take care of it. My skimmer has been working overtime since I got the bigger pump.
The flow is pointed almost at the middle (height) of the tank across all of my rocks. It has made a big difference.
rustybucket145
New member
Adam >> Preach it brother!! by cleaning it you are just delaying the inevitable. You tank WILL go through these stages just like a tree WILL drop it's leaves in the winter (well most trees anyways). Use RO/DI to minimize these outbreaks and to keep them from getting out of control but basically it just has to run it's course. Leave it be!! and in a year or so it will be beautiful.
by cleaning it you are just delaying the inevitable. You tank WILL go through these stages just like a tree WILL drop it's leaves in the winter (well most trees anyways). Use RO/DI to minimize these outbreaks and to keep them from getting out of control but basically it just has to run it's course. Leave it be!! and in a year or so it will be beautiful.
